‘Important first step’: Highly anticipated UFO report released with no firm conclusions

Story Highlights

• U.S. intelligence committee only able to identify one of more than 140 incidents.
• Officials say they are concerned about foreign technology that could pose a national security threat.
• Report urges standardized reporting system for unidentified aerial phenomena.

WASHINGTON — The office of the U.S. Director of National Intelligence on Friday made public a highly anticipated report examining “unidentified aerial phenomena,” telling Congress that it could not draw “firm conclusions” on more than 140 instances.

“In a limited number of incidents, UAP reportedly appeared to exhibit unusual flight characteristics. These observations could be the result of sensor errors, spoofing, or observer misperception and require additional rigorous analysis,” the report reads. 

The report concluded that a “unique, tailored reporting process” should be implemented to better be able to assess unidentified aerial phenomena, but found no evidence of extraterrestrial life.

Defense, Intelligence communities have more work to do

“This report is an important first step in cataloging these incidents, but it is just a first step. The Defense Department and Intelligence Community have a lot of work to do before we can actually understand whether these aerial threats present a serious national security concern,” said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., the ranking member and former chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, in a statement.

“We should approach these questions without preconceptions to encourage a thorough, systematized analysis of the potential national security and flight safety risks posed by unidentified aerial phenomena, whether they are the result of a foreign adversary, atmospheric or other aerial phenomena, space debris, or something else entirely,” said Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.

Sightings of objects in American skies with no explanation have been the subject of public fascination for some time, and the report was expected to add more details to reported incidents and sightings. Video declassified by the Pentagon years ago showed high-speed objects with no clear propulsion outpacing Navy pilots’ jets. Since 2007, the Pentagon has been tracking UFOs.

Watch Navy jet lock scope on UFO

“Is it some sort of new type of cruise missile technology that China has developed? Is it some sort of high-altitude balloon that’s conducting reconnaissance? Ultimately when you have exhausted all those what-ifs and you’re still left with the fact that this is in our airspace and it’s real, that’s when it becomes compelling, and that’s when it becomes problematic,” Luis Elizondo, former director of the defense department’s Advanced Aerospace Threat Identification Program, told “60 Minutes” earlier this year about unidentified flying objects.

Explanations of sightings of aerial phenomena most often include potential weather incidents, routine natural events or otherwise identifiable cases, like weather balloons or misfires in sensor systems and cameras. 

Five categories, but few conclusions

The ODNI report concluded that the phenomena could most likely be resolved in one of five categories: airborne clutter, natural atmospheric phenomena, USG or U.S. industry developmental programs, foreign adversary systems, and a catchall “other” bin.

The assessment was only able to confidently identify one of the 144 reported cases as a large, deflating balloon.

In 18 incidents, observers described “unusual UAP movement patterns or flight characteristics,” which could be indicative of advanced technology, and further analysis is being conducted.

Learn: ‘Sightings all over the world’: Another former federal official discusses UFOs, upcoming congressional report

The report comes after lawmakers included an order for it in the December omnibus spending and coronavirus relief package. Lawmakers hope the report will expand on UFO sightings not explained by these cases.

Officials have said they do not believe unidentified flying objects are a sign of alien life; rather, they are more concerned about foreign technology that could pose a national security threat.

“Today’s rather inconclusive report only marks the beginning of efforts to understand and illuminate what is causing these risks to aviation in many areas around the country and the world,” said Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

Contributing: Ledyard King, Joshua Meyer, Matthew Brown

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